Friday, June 29, 2018

Barn SwallowHirundo rustica
One of our most familiar birds in rural areas and semi-open country,
this swallow is often seen skimming low over fields with a flowing,
graceful flight. It seems to have adopted humans as neighbors, typically
placing its nest in barns or garages, or under bridges or wharves;
indeed, it is now rare to find a Barn Swallow nest in a site that is not
manmade. The species is also common across Europe and Asia, wintering
to southern Africa and South America. (Audubon Field Guide)

Justice Kennedy’s Retirement Could Reshape the Environment
The retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, announced Wednesday in a
letter hand-delivered to President Trump, could bring about sweeping
changes to U.S. environmental law, endangering the federal government’s
authority to fight climate change and care for the natural world. With
Kennedy gone, a more conservative Supreme Court could overhaul key
aspects of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered
Species Act, legal scholars say. And any new justice selected by
President Trump would likely seek to weaken the Environmental Protection
Agency, curtail its ability to fight global warming, and weaken its
protections over wetlands. Robinson Meyer writes. (The Atlantic)

Here are the ways Canada is indisputably better than the United States
Thanks to Donald Trump’s baffling decision to plunge us into a trade
war, Canada Day this year will almost certainly feature a
higher-than-average rate of passive-aggressive America-bashing. The
United States remains our closest friend and ally, and continues to
supply us with all our non-Drake entertainment. Nevertheless, in the
spirit of informed jingoism, here is a quick (and obviously biased)
guide to the ways in which Canada is indisputably superior to our
southern neighbour. We fought Nazis earlier! No Civil War! No slavery!
No vicious beatings in our parliament! No Indian Wars! We abolished the
penny! No violent founding! We had way less Prohibition! We’re not as
fat! We aren’t utterly crushed by debt! Our obnoxious reality TV star
failed miserably at politics!Tristin Hopper writes. (Vancouver Sun)

Saildrones set out to monitor fish stock along West Coast
Two little orange robot ships sailed out on the tide from Neah Bay,
Wash., on Tuesday on a mission to monitor fish stocks along the West
Coast. The project will gather data on fish populations managed jointly
between Canada and the U.S. to see if the robot vessels, called
Saildrones, can potentially replace larger, manned research ships....
For 100 days, the wind- and solar-powered crafts will monitor conditions
like air and water temperature, salinity, and carbon dioxide
concentration and beam data back to researchers. Anna Dimoff reports.
(CBC)

Canadians warned to look out for invasive giant hogweed that burns, blinds
Canadians are being warned to look out for a dangerous, invasive plant
that can cause third-degree burns. The Nature Conservancy of Canada says
giant hogweed is one of Canada's most dangerous plants. The non-native
plant grows up to six metres in height and has large clusters of white
flowers at the top. Its clear, toxic sap can cause rashes, blistering,
burns and even blindness if it touches the body and is then exposed to
the sun. (Canadian Press)

China Has Refused To Recycle The West's Plastics. What Now?
For more than 25 years, many developed countries, including the U.S.,
have been sending massive amounts of plastic waste to China instead of
recycling it on their own. Some 106 million metric tons — about 45
percent — of the world’s plastics set for recycling have been exported
to China since reporting to the United Nations Comtrade Database began
in 1992. But in 2017, China passed the National Sword policy banning
plastic waste from being imported — for the protection of the
environment and people’s health — beginning in January 2018. Now that
China won’t take it, what’s happening to the leftover waste? According
to the authors of a new study, it’s piling up. Sara Kiley Watson
reports. (NPR) See also: Seattle's Ban On Plastic Straws And Cutlery Kicks In July 1, But Some Plastic Straws Remain Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you
can unsubscribe at any time.

Thursday, June 28, 2018

Quadra Island
Quadra Island is an island off the eastern coast of Vancouver Island and
part of the Discovery Islands located within the Strathcona Regional
District.... In area Quadra island comprises about 310 square kilometres
(120 square miles). The population of island and surrounding mainland
inlets, as of the 2006 federal census... was 2,472... In 1903 it was
named after the Spanish navigator Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra,
who explored and settled the Vancouver Island area in the late 18th
century.... The island has many beaches, trails, lakes, and parks. Main
Lake Provincial Park is located on the northern part of the island, and
Rebecca Spit Marine Provincial Park is on the eastern shore, near Heriot
Bay. (Wikipedia)

B.C., First Nations formalize talks on concerns over future of fish farms
Some coastal First Nations in British Columbia will have a greater say
about the future of fish farms on their territory, following a new
agreement with the provincial government. The province says in a news
release that it has a letter of understanding with three central coast
First Nations that will formalize ongoing talks about salmon aquaculture
in the Broughton Archipelago off Vancouver Island. The ‘Namgis,
Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis and Mamalilikulla First Nations and province
will speak with various parties involved, including the fish farm
industry, and come up with actions and recommendations over the next 90
days. The news follows an announcement by the province last week that
the salmon farmers will have four years to show their open-net
operations don’t harm wild salmon and to get approval from area First
Nations to locate the operations in their territories. Indigenous
Relations Minister Scott Fraser says the government has been speaking
with First Nations since January to resolve their concerns about fish
farms, and the agreement recognizes the need to work respectfully with
Indigenous Peoples to protect wild salmon. (Canadian Press)

Swinomish tribe takes new look at Dungeness crab
Before winding up on a dinner plate alongside melted butter, Dungeness
crabs pulled from the depths of Puget Sound or Washington’s coastal
areas spend several months smaller than a thumb tack. Not much is known
about how, after emerging from eggs, the tiny crabs settle on area
beaches and go on to become the meaty crabs prized in Washington and
beyond.... A long-term goal is to collect enough data to draw
connections between the number of months-old Dungeness crabs seen in
certain areas and the number of adult crabs caught during commercial
harvests. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Central Coast First Nation preserves eulachon grease tradition as the fish returns to Bella Coola River
The Nuxalk Nation in Bella Coola is seeing signs that its eulachon run
is returning after 20 years. The fish traditionally harvested in the
Bella Coola River had disappeared without any clear reason why, and the
Nuxalk College is preparing for its recovery with an annual eulachon
camp, where elders pass their knowledge on how to make grease from the
small, silvery fish.... Eulachon grease is made by putting the fish in
what's called a stink box, where the blood drains into cedar boughs laid
on the bottom. The eulachon ferment for several days until their eyes
turn red before they're moved to another box for cooking at a precise
temperature that releases the grease. This year is the second year the
college has co-ordinated the eulachon project, producing grease to
distribute to Nuxalk members. Audrey McKinnon reports. (CBC)

Petition filed against resort plans in Brinnon
The Brinnon Group has filed a land use petition in Kitsap County
Superior Court hoping to invalidate the developer agreement and
supporting ordinance for the Pleasant Harbor Marina and Golf Resort, a
master planned resort. The Pleasant Harbor Resort is planned to be on
252 acres on the Black Point Peninsula, 2 miles south of Brinnon. It is
designed to have 890 residential units and a nine-hole golf course, as
well as a recreation center and a conference center. The petitioners, a
nonprofit group with a mailing address in Granite Falls, Wash., believe
that the developer, Statesman Group of Calgary, Alberta, will adversely
affect the area, it said in the petition filed Monday. Jeannie McMacken
reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

‘South Park and Georgetown have shouldered the burden of environmental injustice for decades’
A plume of black smoke stretched across South Seattle on Tuesday night
as a fire burned on a barge of scrapped cars on the Duwamish River. It
was a dramatic sight, but pollution isn’t new to this part of the city,
and now Seattle officials want to boost two of the neighborhoods that
line the river, Georgetown and South Park. Officials cite this statistic
as a reason for a revamp: Life expectancy in South Park is 74. That's
13 years less than in wealthy, mostly white neighborhoods like
Laurelhurst or Magnolia. The reasons for the discrepancy aren't entirely
clear, but city officials want to tackle two of the key suspects:
pollution and poverty. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you
can unsubscribe at any time.

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

RaccoonProcyon lotor
The raccoon is a native mammal, measuring about 3 feet long, including
its 12-inch, bushy, ringed tail. Because their hind legs are longer than
the front legs, raccoons have a hunched appearance when they walk or
run. Each of their front feet has five dexterous toes, allowing raccoons
to grasp and manipulate food and other items. Raccoons prefer forest
areas near a stream or water source, but have adapted to various
environments throughout Washington. Raccoon populations can get quite
large in urban areas, owing to hunting and trapping restrictions, few
predators, and human-supplied food.... As long as raccoons are kept out
of human homes, not cornered, and not treated as pets, they are not
dangerous. (WDFW)

Growler plans released: Navy’s preferred alternative calls for more flights at OLF Coupeville
The majority of EA-18G Growler field carrier landing practices on
Whidbey Island will occur at an airfield in rural Coupeville surrounded
by farmland and homes under the preferred alternative identified by the
Navy this week. The amount of practice necessary for Growler pilots to
remain prepared to land on aircraft carriers decreased by 30 percent
under the scenario, but it still means a four-fold increase over current
activity at Outlying Field Coupeville. About 12,000 Growler
touch-and-go passes, or 23,700 “operations,” would occur annually at
Outlying Field Coupeville under the alternative, the Navy reported. An
operation is defined as a takeoff or landing, so each pass accounts for
two operations. Currently, about 6,000 operations occur annually at OLF
Coupeville. Jessie Stensland reports. (Whidbey News-Times and Peninsula
Daily News) See also: Navy announces preference for Growler increase at NAS Whidbey Kera Wanielista reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Opening the black box: What’s killing Puget Sound’s salmon and steelhead?
“Ocean conditions.” In years past, those two words were given as the
only explanation for why coho or Chinook salmon failed to return to
Puget Sound in numbers predicted by salmon forecasters. Even in good
years, when large numbers of salmon would leave the streams, there was
always a great deal of uncertainty about how many would make it back
home. Mystery surrounded what the fish were doing out in the saltwater.
Were they starving or were they thriving?.... Studies by more than 200
scientists on both sides of the border have revealed a tangled food web
involving a multitude of predators and prey surrounding their primary
species of study: Chinook and coho salmon and steelhead trout. To
survive, these salmonids must not only become capable predators, but
they must also remain vigilant to avoid larger predators trying to eat
them. Chris Dunagan reports in a multi-part series on the Salish Sea
Marine Survival Project. (Salish Sea Currents)

US House Bill Says Shooting Hungry Sea Lions Is Fair Game
The U.S. House approved a bill Tuesday that makes it easier to kill a
limited number of sea lions that threaten imperiled salmon and steelhead
populations. The legislation was co-sponsored by Reps. Jaime Herrera
Beutler, R-Wash., and Kurt Schrader, D-Ore. “What we currently have on
the Columbia River is an ecosystem seriously out of balance,” said
Herrera Beutler, who believes the bill is necessary to save fish runs on
the brink of extinction. “Our salmon runs are now fighting for
survival. It’s practically a miracle when a fish can make it upstream
without getting caught between a sea lion’s teeth,” she added. The bill,
which passed by a vote of 288-116, eases protections on sea lions
currently in place under the U.S. Marine Mammals Protection Act of 1972.
Through these conservation efforts, populations of California sea lions
have rebounded to nearly 300,000. Molly Solomon reports. (OPB/EarthFix)

Adams River sockeye catches face 'significant restraint' to save endangered Cultus Lake stocks
Fishermen who have been waiting four years to harvest the famous Adams
River sockeye run on the Fraser River system could see their catches cut
in half in an effort to save the endangered Cultus Lake sockeye. Only
about 1,000 spawners are expected to return to Cultus Lake this summer.
Because they are swimming with millions of sockeye headed further up the
river system to the Shuswap area — about one-third to the Adams River —
fishery managers may have to scale back harvests in the name of
conservation.... The conservation goal is a maximum 20-per-cent harvest
of Cultus Lake sockeye, which swim up the Vedder River, an area upstream
of the bulk of fishing opportunities. First Nations further up the
Fraser River could benefit under such a scenario. Larry Pynn reports.
(Vancouver Sun)

Sweet celestial treat for Seattle moon watchers this week
Sky watchers in the Puget Sound area could be in for a sweet treat this
week when June’s fat full moon makes a rosy appearance on Wednesday
night. If the weather cooperates, that is. The first full moon of
summer, which is traditionally called a Strawberry Moon, will likely
have a pink cast and appear unusually large, according to Washington
State University astronomers. Christine Clarridge reports. (Seattle
Times)

Pacific Northwest Tribes Pushing For Climate Action Launch New Political Action Committee
A newly formed coalition of tribal leaders and communities of color
plans to put its combined weight behind the latest voter initiative to
curb carbon pollution. Several tribal leaders launched a political
action committee they have dubbed The First American Project. It aims to
support public policies that protect the environment and human rights.
Their first major effort will be passage of I-1631 to put a price on
carbon. The initiative appears to be headed to statewide ballots this
fall. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Buying Trans Mountain pipeline could add 36% to federal deficit, study predicts
A study by a sustainable energy research group predicts the federal
government's purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline will add
significantly to the deficit next year. The study by the Institute for
Energy Economics and Financial Analysis says buying the Kinder Morgan
Canada assets, plus planning and construction costs, will put $6.5
billion in unplanned spending on the books for the 2018-19 fiscal year.
Study authors Tom Sanzillo and Kathy Hipple say that until the Ottawa
clarifies how it plans to account for the spending, there's a risk the
purchase could add 36 per cent to the projected $18.1-billion deficit.
(Canadian Press)

Trump scraps Obama policy on protecting oceans, Great Lakes
President Donald Trump has thrown out a policy devised by his
predecessor to protect U.S. oceans and the Great Lakes, replacing it
with a new approach that emphasizes use of the waters to promote
economic growth. Trump revoked an executive order issued by President
Barack Obama in 2010 following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the
Gulf of Mexico.... Trump's order downplays environmental protection,
saying the change would ensure that regulations and management decisions
don't get in the way of responsible use by industries that "employ
millions of Americans, advance ocean science and technology, feed the
American people, transport American goods, expand recreational
opportunities and enhance America's energy security." John Flesher
reports. (Associated Press)

Anacortes-based conservation nonprofit closing
A small conservation nonprofit that has been working out of an Anacortes
office for the past several years will close its doors Saturday.
Pacific Biodiversity Institute struggled to secure the funding needed to
continue its work, which focused largely on areas of Washington and
Argentina, Executive Director Phoebe Barnard said. In order to ensure
the institute’s efforts continue, Barnard has gotten three larger
organizations to carry on three of the institute’s programs.... The
mission of the Pacific Biodiversity Institute was to develop research
and conservation programs that provide information for environmental
planning, policy and management in the Cascadia region, including
Washington, Oregon and British Columbia, as well as across western North
America and southern South America. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit
Valley Herald)

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you
can unsubscribe at any time.

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Mysterious Worlds at Hand
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "On a magical
morning a few weeks ago, I watched in awe from our boat as a virtual
metropolis of luminous moon jellies and other planktonic creatures
drifted through our anchorage. As the long, waving curtain of strange
and wonderful life forms pulsated alongside and past me, the effect was
like watching an underwater aurora – an extraordinary moving light show
in slow motion.... (read more)"

Sea Stars Started Dissolving. What Helped Some of Them Survive?
In the summer of 2013, the ochre sea stars of the California coast fell
victim to a deadly plague.... More than 80 percent of the ochre sea
stars on the northern coast died as a result of that outbreak of sea
star wasting syndrome, as the disease is called. In the wake of the
devastation, Dr. Schiebelhut and her colleagues looked at the survivors
and wondered: Did they have something that the dead did not? In a new
paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
they report a detectable difference between the genes of sea stars
before the epidemic and the survivors. Genetic tests also show that new
generations of sea stars have more in common with the survivors than
with past generations — the events of 2013 seem to have left an
indelible mark on the sea star’s gene pool. Veronique Greenwood reports.
(NY Times)

Washington's pikas are in even more trouble than scientists thought
Pikas are little rabbit-like mammals that could fit in the palm of your
hand. They’re often seen scurrying around rocky alpine slopes with their
mouths full of wildflowers. Pikas like it cold, so, as the climate has
warmed, they’ve disappeared from lower elevations where they used to
live. For years, scientists thought pikas were adapting to climate
change by moving uphill. But new research indicates the news is even
worse than that. Pikas aren’t adapting to climate change by moving
uphill. In fact, because of the way they move around the landscape,
they’re not adapting to climate change at all. Michael Russello and his
fellow researchers at the University of British Columbia used DNA
sequencing to track the movements of pikas in the North Cascades. What
they found was, when young pikas strike out on their own, they tend to
move downhill to look for living space. And, once they get there,
they’re dying off instead of establishing lower-altitude populations.
Eilis O'Neill reports. (KUOW)

Ocean science agency chief floats removing ‘climate’ from mission statement and focusing on trade deficit
A recent presentation by the acting head of the United States’ top
weather and oceans agency suggested removing the study of “climate” from
its official mission statement, focusing the agency’s work instead on
economic goals and “homeland and national security.” Critics say this
would upend the mission of the $5.9 billion National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration. But the administration disputes that
interpretation, saying the presentation did not intend to create a
change of direction at a vast agency that tracks hurricanes and
atmospheric carbon dioxide, operates weather satellites, manages marine
reserves and protects endangered ocean species, among other
functions.... But in a presentation at a Commerce Department “Vision
Setting Summit” this month, Rear Adm. Timothy Gallaudet, the agency’s
acting administrator, suggested a change to that mission statement, as
well as a new emphasis on tripling the size of the U.S. aquaculture
industry within a decade and moving to “reduce the seafood trade
deficit.” Chris Mooney and Jason Samenow report. (Washington Post) See
also: Trawling for data: NOAA research ship surveys salmon, other ocean fish Rob Ollikainen reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

The Bountiful Benefits Of Bringing Back The Beavers
Few species manipulate their surroundings enough to make big ecological
changes. Humans are one. Beavers are another. At one point, the rodents
numbered in the hundreds of millions in North America, changing the
ecological workings of countless streams and rivers. As settlers moved
West, they hunted and trapped them to near extinction. Now there are new
efforts across the Western U.S. to understand what makes them tick,
mimic their engineering skills, boost their numbers, and in turn, get us
more comfortable with the way they transform rivers and streams. Luke
Runyon reports. (NPR)

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you
can unsubscribe at any time.

Monday, June 25, 2018

Giant hogweedHeracleum mantegazzianum
Giant hogweed is a noxious weed that forms dense canopies outcompeting
native species and increasing soil erosion. It exudes a clear watery sap
which sensitizes the skin to ultraviolet radiation, resulting in severe
burns to the affected area causing blistering and painful dermatitis.
It can be confused with cow parsnip, Heracleum lanatum, a native
plant in Washington and except for its size, has a similar appearance to
giant hogweed. Thanks to Wendy Scherrer for passing along a YouTube video showing the difference. (Washington State Noxious Weed Board)

Canadian government announces $167.4M to help save key whale species
Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau announced $167.4 million to
support the recovery of three key whale species in Canada, particularly
B.C.'s southern resident killer whale population. "The whales need our
help," Garneau said. "We must act now because the whales can't wait."
For the orca population in the Salish Sea, in particular, the federal
government is focusing on improving prey availability, reducing
underwater vessel noise and better monitoring of pollution. (CBC) See
also: Why do we keep loving our orcas — to death? Knute Berger writes. (Crosscut)

NEB approves modified Burnaby Terminal plans for Trans Mountain project
The National Energy Board says it has approved modified plans for the
Burnaby Terminal of the Trans Mountain pipeline project, clearing a
final regulatory hurdle for construction to start. The regulator says
the approved variance application will significantly improve safety at
the terminal, which is the end point for the controversial pipeline the
federal government has agreed to buy as part of a $4.5-billion
acquisition of Kinder Morgan Canada's core assets. The new plans reduce
the diameter of five of the 14 tanks and the overall capacity of the
facilities by about 320,000 barrels, increase the space between the
tanks, and reconfigure the secondary containment system at the tank farm
to reduce fire risk. The NEB says its approval of the variance and
Kinder Morgan Canada's fulfillment of certain conditions allows it to
begin construction at the Burnaby Terminal, subject to any other permits
or authorizations which may be required. (Canadian Press)

Call Goes Out Again To Big Ships To Slow Down For Killer Whales
The call is going out again to the operators and pilots of big ships to
slow down in the shared border waters between Washington and British
Columbia. The idea is to reduce underwater noise that could bother
endangered killer whales. The voluntary vessel slowdown zone covers the
length of Haro Strait, a busy shipping channel separating Victoria and
Washington's San Juan Islands. The strait is also a vital summer feeding
area for endangered orcas. The Port of Vancouver, Canada, is leading
the charge to reduce the impacts of vessel noise on the killer whales. A
two-month trial slowdown last summer and fall demonstrated how cutting
ship speeds to 11 knots could significantly reduce the racket
underwater. Noise interferes with whale feeding success. Beginning next
month through September, the port authority is again asking cargo ships,
tankers, cruise ships and ferries to slow down, but this time only when
whales are confirmed in the area. That should result in fewer vessel
delays. Tom Banse reports. (NW News Network)

Proposed kayak trail between B.C.'s Discovery Islands doesn't float with Quadra Island official
A recent proposal by a group of kayaking enthusiasts to set up a marine
trail throughout B.C.'s Discovery Islands has been met with skepticism
from local leaders The B.C. Marine Trails Network Association hopes to
create a path for kayakers and other small vessels by connecting a chain
of campsites and launch areas between Powell River, Campbell River,
Sayward and the Discovery Islands — located between Campbell River on
Vancouver Island and the B.C. mainland. John Kimantas, the association's
Discovery Islands project manager, spent the last week presenting the
trail idea to the affected towns. But a representative of Quadra Island —
an island off the eastern coast of Vancouver Island and part of the
Strathcona Regional District — isn't convinced the marine trail is a
good idea for his community. (CBC)

Warming Drives Spread Of Toxic Algae In Oregon And Beyond, Researchers Say
The words blasted to cellphones around Oregon’s capital city were
ominous: “Civil emergency . prepare for action.” Within half an hour, a
second official alert clarified the subject wasn’t impending violence
but toxins from an algae bloom detected in Salem’s water supply. Across
the U.S., reservoirs that supply drinking water and lakes used for
recreation are experiencing similar events with growing frequency. The
trend represents another impact of global warming and raises looming
questions about the effects on human health, researchers say. Tom James
reports. (Associated Press)

In a High-Stakes Environmental Whodunit, Many Clues Point to China
Last month, scientists disclosed a global pollution mystery: a surprise
rise in emissions of an outlawed industrial gas that destroys the
atmosphere’s protective ozone layer. The unexpected increase is
undermining what has been hailed as the most successful international
environmental agreement ever enacted: the Montreal Protocol, which
includes a ban on chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, and which was expected
to bring a full recovery of the ozone layer by midcentury. But the
source of the pollution has remained unknown. Now, a trail of clues
leads to this scrappy industrial boomtown in rural China. Interviews,
documents and advertisements collected by The New York Times and
independent investigators indicate that a major source — possibly the
overwhelming one — is factories in China that have ignored a global ban
and kept making or using the chemical, CFC-11, mostly to produce foam
insulation for refrigerators and buildings. Chris Buckley and Henry
Fountain report. (NY Times)

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you
can unsubscribe at any time.

Trudeau and B.C. North Coast First Nations announce ocean protection agreement
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined First Nations leaders Thursday to
announce a partnership with 14 B.C. North Coast First Nations in
managing and protecting marine ecosystems along two-thirds of B.C.'s
north coast. The press conference, held in Prince Rupert, was scheduled
to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day. The agreement which falls
under the $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan, and was framed as a step
toward Indigenous reconciliation. Karin Larsen reports. (CBC)

Federal study lays out risk levels for firefighting-foam chemicals in drinking water
Two firefighting foam chemicals — when they find their way into
drinking water — pose health risks at much lower levels than the current
safety guidelines established by the Environmental Protection Agency,
according to a draft federal study released Wednesday. These chemicals
are called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS. They have been
found in five Washington drinking-water systems at levels above the EPA
guidelines, as well as dozens of private drinking- water wells near
firefighting training areas where the foams were used. The new study by
the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry will be reviewed by
the state Department of Health, which is preparing to test several
hundred other drinking-water systems in Washington to help assess the
scope of the problem. The state also is considering whether to set its
own standards for PFAS contamination in drinking water. Hal Bernton
reports.(Seattle Times)

If you like to listen:3 fascinating orca facts we didn't know before
In honor of Orca Awareness Month in Washington state, here are three
facts about orcas we didn't know before, courtesy of a talk by Prof.
Jason Colby of the University of Victoria. "Captivitiy helped orcas,"
"Puget Sound orcas bounced back - but not for long," and "Puget Sound
orcas only have one food source left." John O'Brien reports. (KUOW)

Don't blame taxes for high gas prices, blame oil companies: Economist
When oil prices crashed at the end of 2014 — from a high of $110 per
barrel to roughly half within a few months, and eventually bottoming out
at about $35 in early 2016 — a funny thing happened with Vancouver’s
gas prices. They went down a little, but not nearly the same as the bulk
base price. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives economist Marc Lee
has taken a look at how gas prices have tracked over the past few years
and found data that broke down where the increases were coming. While
the price of oil globally fell by 68 per cent, the price of gas in the
Lower Mainland fell just 18 per cent. And now local gas prices are
actually higher than they were during their 2014 peak, while the global
price of oil remains two-thirds of its 2014 peak. What Lee found was
that the growth in prices was heavily tied to the resurgent price of
crude, but also due to increased profits for refineries. Taxes, which
some have said is the big problem, have actually only gone up a
comparatively small amount. Patrick Johnston reports (Vancouver Sun)

Design of Hamilton slough project to begin
After three years of input from Hamilton community members, the Skagit
Fisheries Enhancement Group is prepared to design a project to improve
fish passage at the slough that encloses much of the low-lying and
frequently flooded town. Skagit Fisheries restoration ecologist Sue
Madsen said during a community meeting Tuesday that the project the
group is set to design using a state Salmon Recovery Funding Board grant
will improve fish passage under several town and county roads that
cross the slough. Though it will also mean more water on some
agricultural lands near the slough during flooding, that water is
expected to drain more quickly and therefore the project has the
blessing of the property owners, she said. Still, doing the work will
require additional grant funding, and that process can take several more
years. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Firm Prepares To Mine Land Previously Protected As A National Monument
A Canadian mining firm says it will move forward with plans to mine
minerals from land that was previously part of the Grand
Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah. Last December, President
Trump removed nearly half of the Grand Staircase-Escalante from
protection, as well as part of the Bears Ears National Monument, which
is also in Utah. The move was the largest reversal of national monument
protections in U.S. history. Glacier Lake Resources Inc., a
Vancouver-based copper and silver mining firm, says it has acquired the
Colt Mesa deposit, an approximately 200-acre parcel of land located
about 35 miles southeast of Boulder, Utah. Because it was nationally
protected, the area was previously off limits to development and mining.
In a press release the company noted that the deposit “recently became
open for staking and exploration after a 21 year period moratorium.”
Shannon Van Sant reports. (NPR)

CEQ Requests Comments on Changes to NEPA Review Process Governing Infrastructure Projects
The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)—the US federal agency
responsible for coordinating and overseeing federal agency
implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)—moved one
step closer on June 20 towards revising its longstanding
NEPA-implementing regulations. Those regulations, which last underwent a
major revision in 1986, govern the environmental review process for all
“major federal actions,” including Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(FERC) license reviews for hydroelectric projects and certificates for
natural gas facilities. Now, in an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(ANPR), the CEQ signaled that it is ready to receive public comments on
potential revisions that it hopes will “ensure a more efficient,
timely, and effective NEPA process consistent with the national
environmental policy stated in NEPA.” Comments are due July 20, 2018.
(Lexology)

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you
can unsubscribe at any time.

Thursday, June 21, 2018

The Longest Day of the Year
On the summer solstice, birds nesting near Juneau, Alaska take advantage
of almost 18 1/2 hours between sunrise and sunset. This day in south
Texas is considerably shorter, so the Altamira Oriole has only 14 hours
to sing. Seattle's Song Sparrows see 16 hours of daylight; Sacramento's
only 15. Birds nesting north of the Arctic Circle have six weeks with
almost 24 hours of daylight every day. So this Lapland Longspur has a
work-day that's about as long as it gets. (BirdNote)

Nautilus submarine ‘can send your soul to the bottom’ — Bob Ballard
Exploration Vessel Nautilus, with its remotely operated submarines
Hercules and Argus, has been exploring deep-sea vents off Oregon the
past few days, marking the beginning of a six-month expedition along the
West Coast and around Hawaii. The ROVs were launched Sunday as the
weather allowed, and the mother ship is now moving up the coast. [Watch at Nautilus Live] Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Coast guard crew makes rare sighting of right whale off Haida Gwaii
For the third time this decade, one of the world's rarest whales has
been spotted off the B.C. coast, but scientists say it's too early to
know if the species is recovering from being hunted to near extinction.
The crew aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Vector caught sight of the
young North Pacific right whale while doing a shellfish survey west of
Haida Gwaii earlier this month, according to whale biologist John Ford
of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Bethany Lindsay reports. (CBC)

Hundreds of yards polluted by Asarco smelter still need cleanup. Here's this year's plan
Remember the Asarco Smelter and the toxic plume of arsenic and lead
emittedfrom its smokestack that settled onto and polluted thousands of
yards in Ruston, Tacoma and on Vashon Island? The state Department of
Ecology is still working to clean up those yards. This year, thanks to
the state Legislature's passage of a capital budget in January, the
department can get back to a more aggressive schedule for doing so. "We
are breaking ground, removing dirt and moving forward on cleanup of 39
yards in north Tacoma and 16 yards on Vashon-Maury Island," the
department announced this week. Candice Ruud reports. (Tacoma News
Tribune)

Water fuels Seattle’s growth. But in North Bend, activists say water could be running out
Seattle is surrounded by water. It’s one of the reasons why people move
here. But even in rainy, water-abundant Seattle, the region’s
astronomical growth has given rise to new conflicts over water rights
for people and salmon. One of the most visible signs of that growth is a
212-unit apartment building to be built on the banks of the Snoqualmie
River. And local environmental activists are demanding to know whether
that building would put new strain on an already-overburdened waterway.
Joshua McNichols reports. (KUOW)

Drowning squirrels is cruel, an animal control officer says, so here's what she's doing
A Whatcom County animal control officer is suing to stop people from
drowning squirrels that are nuisances and to bar the Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife from telling people they can do so on
residential property. Rebecca Crowley's lawsuit said drowning squirrels
was an "indisputably cruel method." Bellingham attorney Adam Karp, who
specializes in animal law, filed the lawsuit in Whatcom County Superior
Court. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you
can unsubscribe at any time.

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Giant Sea Nymph Nereis sp.
.... Sea nymphs are large (some very creepily so!) worms that stretch
out of their burrows and use inordinately fierce looking jaws to grab a
nibble of algae or maybe a soft invertebrate. However, when the moon and
tides and light are right, they have a different priority. Kind of like
a werewolf, their bodies change with the coming of the full moon. The
once burrow-dwelling omnivore becomes an actively swimming, gutless
baby-making machine called an epitoke. On full moons in the winter and
summer, the males epitokes will vigorously swim from their holes and
rise into the water column, shedding sperm as they go. Once the females
sense the males in the water, they follow closely spewing eggs. The
sperm and eggs are often released through ruptures in the body wall
(ouch!). The close proximity of eggs and sperm help ensure many of the
eggs will become fertilized, but mom and dad contribute to the next link
in the food chain. Jeff Adams blogs. (Puget Sound Blogs)

B.C. government sets new 2022 deadline for coastal fish
The B.C. government will not cancel provincial tenures for 20 coastal
open-pen fish farms, instead giving the industry and its thousands of
jobs a four-year reprieve while the province waits for Ottawa to take
the lead on the issue. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham is expected to
announce that the B.C. government will allow 20 provincial tenures for
fish farms in the Broughton Archipelago to expire today, and then
automatically renew them month-to-month until 2022. That’s when federal
licences that control the location of those farms come up for renewal.
The idea is that the two governments will act then together in the
renewal process. Popham will announce that, after 2022, the province
will only approve renewals or new fish farm licences that meet two
strict conditions: a stipulation from the federal Fisheries Department
that the farm won’t endanger B.C. wild salmon and consent from local
First Nations. Rob Shaw reports. (Vancouver Sun)

City of Victoria wins court battle over right to ban plastic bags
Victoria has won a court battle over its right to ban plastic bags,
meaning the bylaw approved last winter has the green light to roll out
next month. The Canadian Plastic Bag Association (CPBA) challenged the
bylaw in B.C. Supreme Court in January, saying the city didn't have the
authority to enact the ban. On Tuesday, the court rejected that
challenge. (CBC) See also: Plastic-straw ban hits Seattle next month
An exemption to the city's ban on plastics expires at the end of the
month. That means, get used to paper straws. Christine Clarridge
reports. (Seattle Times)

1,400 pounds of clams destroyed after illegal Key Peninsula harvest
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife police destroyed 1,400
pounds of clams that had been illegally harvested earlier this month in
the Lakebay area on the Key Peninsula, officials said. A resident tipped
off Fish & Wildlife officials June 2 to an illegal harvest along
Carr Inlet, Fish & Wildlife police Sgt. Ken Balasz said. The area is
closed to commercial harvesting. The responding officer arrived to find
two men with 21 commercial-sized bags of clams on the beach and were
still harvesting more, Balasz said. The men had a commercial license,
but they didn't have certifications for the beach they were on or tags
for the clams they were harvesting. The officer was able to determine
that a Shelton-based company hired the two men to harvest the clams,
Balasz said, but the owner initially denied involvement and said the men
were supposed to be on a beach near Belfair. Kenny Ocker reports.
(Tacoma News Tribune)

Olympic National Park to start capturing mountain goats this summer
Olympic National Park will begin capturing mountain goats late this
summer now that the Park Service has released its record of decision for
the Mountain Goat Management Plan, officials said Tuesday. Olympic
National Park plans to relocate the majority of mountain goats to U.S.
Forest Service land in the North Cascades national forests and to kill
the remaining mountain goats that evade capture in Olympic National
Park. The park will begin capturing goats during a two-week period this
summer at Hurricane Hill, said Louise Johnson, chief of resources
management for the park. Jesse Major reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you
can unsubscribe at any time.

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Western bumble beeBombus occidentalis
The western bumble bee was once very common in the western United States
and western Canada. The workers have three main color variations. These
bees can still be found in the northern and eastern parts of their
historic range, but the once common populations from southern British
Columbia to central California have nearly disappeared. This bumble bee
is an excellent pollinator of greenhouse tomatoes and cranberries, and
has been commercially reared to pollinate these crops. In the past, it
has also been an important pollinator of alfalfa, avocado, apples,
cherries, blackberries, and blueberry. (Xerces Society) See also: Bumblebee Blues: Pacific Northwest Pollinator In Trouble
Hundreds of citizen scientists have begun buzzing through locations
across the Pacific Northeast seeking a better understanding about nearly
30 bumblebee species.... Researchers hope to accumulate enough
information to recommend ways to conserve bumblebees and their habitat.
Keith Ridler reports. (Associated Press)

Western Tiger Swallowtail
Yesterday's fauna feature prompted the following comment from Helen
Engle: "I know you’ll hear from the Butterfly People (not quite as
numerous as the Bird People, but equally critical about IDs and Correct
names!! About 60 years ago I planted a cottonwood seedling so I’d have
the preferred “obligate tree” for the most common of the butterflies I
had seen on our piece of Puget Sound Real Estate. And every year the
Western Tiger Swallowtail is here right on time to spend the summer
flitting back and forth on my acre of garden. Robert Michael Pyle’s “The Butterflies of Cascadia” is THE AUTHORITY on this subject and pages 115-127 have wonderfully detailed photos and text on our Western Swallowtails."

First group of Kinder Morgan pipeline protesters guilty of criminal contempt of court
The first trial of protesters accused of violating a court injunction at
Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project ended Monday
with guilty verdicts for the nine accused. The protesters, arrested
March 17 at the Burnaby work site, had pleaded not guilty to criminal
contempt of court at the outset of their trial last week in B.C. Supreme
Court in Vancouver. During the trial, prosecutors showed video evidence
of the protesters — some of whom had strapped themselves to an entry
gate at the site — being taken into custody by RCMP. Lawyers for the
accused argued that the police had no grounds to make the arrests but
B.C. Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Affleck, the trial judge, did not
agree with that argument. Keith Fraser reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Think you’re getting the fish you ordered? Oh, snapper, not always
A quarter of all fish samples from Metro Vancouver restaurants, sushi
bars and stores was of a different species than advertised, the result
in some cases of “intentional” fish fraud, according to researchers. The
UBC study, the largest done in Vancouver, shows that governmental
changes are needed to stop the fraud, including better labels and
ability to track where fish comes from, its lead author, Yaxi Hu said.
“We have a lower rate (of mislabelled fish) compared to some inland
cities, but it’s still high, especially because we are a city by the
ocean,” Hu said. Almost all of the fish labelled snapper or red snapper
tested by researchers turned out in the lab to be something else,
usually tilapia, said Hu, a PhD candidate student in the food nutrition
and health program of UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems. Susan
Lazaruk reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Timely tide attracts another pod of transient orcas to Victoria harbour
A pod of orcas has made a brief visit to Victoria Harbour, the second
excursion by a group of killer whales in as many weeks. Jackie Cowan,
who lives on a boat in the harbour and is also a captain on a
whale-watching vessel, says the pod cruised in on Sunday evening. She
identified them as transient orcas, which prey mainly on seals, sealions
and dolphins. (Canadian Press)

Beach restoration planned for Kukutali Preserve
For nearly 100 years, a gravel road hugged by boulders has provided
access from Snee-Oosh Road to Kiket Island. That road was built on a
beach called a tombolo: a long, sandy mound stretching from the mainland
to the island, with intertidal beaches sloping away from it to the
north and south. Now, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community that manages
the Kukutali Preserve in partnership with State Parks plans to remove
the gravel road and boulders along its edges to reveal the natural
beach. “There’s natural beach on the bottom there,” Swinomish
Environmental Director Todd Mitchell said while standing next to the
road. “It’s really just a removal project.” The goal of the project is
to restore the natural functions of 300 feet of the tombolo and a
3.4-acre lagoon northeast of it, according to project documents.
Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Fear And Frustration Over EPA Move To Kill Chemical-Disaster Protections
The Environmental Protection Agency intends to block a proposal that
would effectively shield companies from scrutiny about how they prevent
and respond to chemical disasters. At a hearing Thursday, agency
officials got an earful from dozens of people who live and work near
refineries and chemical facilities across the country. Grandmothers,
teachers, firefighters and community activists traveled to Washington,
D.C. to urge the agency to block the proposal. Representatives from
industry groups countered that they’re already doing enough to keep
people safe and that companies don’t need more oversight. Obama-era
rules require companies to routinely disclose which hazardous chemicals
they use, share information with emergency planners, submit to outside
audits and publish reports on the root causes of explosions and leaks.
The regulations were supposed to take effect in March 2017, but earlier
that year groups representing the chemical and petroleum industries
petitioned the EPA to reconsider. Last month, after delaying the rules,
the agency announced that it intends to block most of them from ever
taking effect. But that decision isn’t final pending public comment.
Rebecca Hersher reports. (NPR)

Record Lamprey Return A Cultural Win For Native Tribes
When Aaron Jackson was growing up in eastern Oregon, he’d never seen a
lamprey in the Umatilla River. Tribal elders remembered harvesting the
fish there for ceremonies. But by the time Jackson was a kid, 40 years
ago, lamprey were gone. Now, Jackson is the lamprey biologist for the
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. He’s overseeing
one of the many efforts throughout the Columbia Basin in Washington and
Oregon that aims to restore lamprey runs. Jackson hopes, one day, tribal
members will be able to harvest lamprey from the Umatilla River — and
that the fish will be self-sustaining. Courtney Flatt reports.
(NWPB/EarthFix)

Marine Protected Areas Are Important. But Are They Working?
You can think of a marine protected area like a boost of vitamin C taken
at the onset of a cold. It may not cure you, but it can help you bounce
back. “A [protected] ecosystem tends to be more resistant to
disturbance and it's more resilient—it comes back faster,” says Jane
Lubchenco, now a marine ecologist at Oregon State University and
formally the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. “It's not unlike your body. If you are
immunocompromised, you're much more likely to come down with a cold or
flu.” These protected ocean spaces, when defended well, won't solve all
the problems in the world's oceans, but they might give us a fighting
chance against afflictions like climate change or overfishing. Studies
have shown that completely closing a portion of the ocean off to
activities like fishing and drilling helps keep wildlife populations
healthy and increases biodiversity. (National Geographic)

'We need more Super Bowl Sundays,' says man who turns what Tacoma flushes into soil http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/matt-driscoll/article213398264.html
More Tacoma poop needed for this wastewater treatment plant Dan
Eberhardt says he could use a few more Super Bowl Sundays. Eberhardt’s
official title is biosolids supervisor for the City of Tacoma’s
environmental services department. That means he’s in charge of making
Tagro. Matt Driscoll reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you
can unsubscribe at any time.

Monday, June 18, 2018

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio regulus
The Western Tiger Swallowtail is a common swallowtail butterfly of
western North America, frequently seen in urban parks and gardens, as
well as in rural woodlands and riparian areas....It is a large, brightly
colored and active butterfly, rarely seen at rest; its wingspan is 7 to
10 cm (3 to 4 in), and its wings are yellow with black stripes, and it
has blue and orange spots near its tail. It has the "tails" on the
hindwings that are often found in swallowtails. (Wikipedia) See also: ‘Attract Butterflies to Your Garden’ workshop at Edmonds Demo Garden June 23 (My Edmonds News)

Orca death brings southern resident whale population to lowest level in 34 years
An orca whale is missing and presumed dead, bringing the local killer
whale population to its lowest point in three decades. The Center for
Whale Research said Saturday an adult male known as L92 has not been
seen since November 2017 and was “conspicuously absent” from recent
coastal sightings of other whales. The whale, nicknamed Crewser, was 23
years old. The animal was a member of the L pod — the largest of three
groups, along with the J and K pods, that make up the southern resident
group of killer whales, which typically travel between the inland waters
of Washington state and southwestern British Columbia for most of the
year. It was the second-to-last member of the L26 matriline — the only
surviving whale is now its aunt, known as L90. The loss brings the total
southern resident population of orcas down to 75, the lowest since
1984. The population has fluctuated in recent decades, reaching a peak
of 98 whales in 1995. Just two years ago, there were 83 orcas here. Mike
Rosenberg reports. (Seattle Times)

B.C. introduces advisory council for wild salmon protection
The B.C. government is putting together an advisory council to deal with
its at-risk wild salmon stocks. The council will develop
recommendations this summer for a provincial wild salmon strategy, the
province announced Friday.... Fourteen experts make up the council. They
come from Indigenous, community and labour groups, NGOs, and
recreational and commercial fisheries. (CBC)It's wild salmon health vs. money and jobs as B.C.'s fish farm fight comes to a head
For some, salmon farms are a blight on the landscape. Not for the way
they look, but because of the threat they believe these large
aquaculture operations pose to wild salmon. "We're pretty confident this
place will have to be dismantled," says Ernest Alfred, pointing at the
farm from the boat. "And I'll be here to watch it." The government is
currently reviewing the leases of 20 fish farms that expire on June 20.
Alfred and other opponents are upping the pressure on the NDP leadership
in hopes they will commit to ending fish farming in the ocean. But
supporters of the farms say that would be a huge blow to an industry
worth billions of dollars to the province. Alfred is a hereditary chief
of the Namgis First Nation in Alert Bay, B.C., and he has the support of
elected bands and councils in the area that oppose the farms. He says
the land and waters were never ceded, and he believes First Nations will
ultimately gain control of the area. It's a long-term battle still
being fought in the courts and in negotiations with the federal and
provincial governments. Greg Rasmussen reports. (CBC)Green crabs entrenched at Dungeness Spit, but new issues are emerging
Dungeness Spit on the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Sequim remains a hot
spot for the invasive European green crab, which first showed up in
Puget Sound during the fall of 2016. The green crab, one of the most
dreaded invasive species in the world, brings with it the potential to
destroy shellfish beds and disrupt key habitats essential to native
species in Puget Sound. Thankfully, except for the Dungeness Spit, new
findings of green crabs have been almost zero since a massive volunteer
trapping effort resumed in April throughout most of Puget Sound. Chris
Dunagan reports.(Watching Our Water Ways)Indigenous protesters in Washington state declare Trans Mountain won't be built
Cedar George-Parker remembers the moment he decided to devote his life
to defending Indigenous people and their traditional territories. It was
the one-year anniversary of a shooting at his high school that killed
four of his classmates in Marysville, Wash. “I dropped to my knees and I
said, ‘I’m going to make a change in the world,’ ” he recalled.
George-Parker is among the Indigenous protesters in Washington state
promising to fight the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. Activists call
the project the Standing Rock of the north, comparing it to the fierce
Standing Rock Sioux protests that stalled the Dakota Access Pipeline for
months.... Many Indigenous activists trace their roots to both sides of
the border. George-Parker’s father is from North Vancouver’s
Tsleil-Waututh Nation and his mother is from Washington’s Tulalip
Tribes. He travels to B.C. often and in April disrupted a speech by
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Vancouver. (Canadian Press)State seeks comment on Blanchard land transfer proposal
The state Department of Natural Resources has proposed a trust land swap
to protect the popular recreation areas on Blanchard Mountain. The
proposal is open for public comment through June 29. The two-part
proposal would involve changing the status of some state trust lands in
Skagit County and using $10 million in state funding to purchase new
trust lands. Natural Resources is responsible for logging state trust
lands in order to provide revenue to various state and local
beneficiaries. The purpose of the proposed trust land swap is to put
part of the state forest on Blanchard Mountain into conservation status
without losing state trust land timber revenue that goes toward public
services in Skagit County and schools statewide. Kimberly Cauvel
reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Leader of revegetation effort revels in growth on the Elwha River
Josh Chenoweth stood in a cobblestone field full of blooming Oregon
Sunshine in the lake bed of the former Lake Aldwell as he marveled at
the diversity of plant life that has flourished because of the Elwha
revegetation project. The project and Chenoweth’s job heading the
reffort both come to an end this fall, but in many ways the
transformation of the valley is just beginning, he said. Now it’s time
for Chenoweth — botanical restorationist for the National Park Service
in charge of the revegetation effort — and the dozens of others who have
helped with the project to step back and let nature take its course.
Jesse Major reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

These meat and fish choices hurt the environment most
Which food type is more environmentally costly to produce—livestock,
farmed seafood, or wild-caught fish? The answer is that it depends,
according to a new study. But in general, industrial beef production and
farmed catfish are the most taxing on the environment, while small,
wild-caught fish and farmed mollusks like oysters, mussels, and scallops
have the lowest environmental impact, according to a new analysis. The
authors of the study, which will appear in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment,
believe it is the most comprehensive look at the environmental impacts
of different types of animal protein production. Michelle Ma reports.
(UW/Futurity)

After sex harassment reports, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife has a new director
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife — recently troubled by reports
of sexual harassment, including a former manager convicted of rape —
announced Saturday that Kelly Susewind has been appointed director of
the agency.... The Fish and Wildlife Commission voted unanimously to
appoint Susewind after interviewing seven candidates in May and
narrowing the finalists to three candidates. Susewind will earn $165,000
a year and take over Aug. 1, according to a news release. Rolf Boone
reports. (Olympian)

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you
can unsubscribe at any time.

Friday, June 15, 2018

Chuckanut Formation
The Eocene Chuckanut Formation consists of a phenomenally thick sequence
(9000 m!) of alluvial sandstone, conglomerate, mudstone, and coal,
originally deposited in flood plains in subsiding basins near the coast
of Washington- or at least, where the coast was around 50,000,000 years
ago. Sediment sources were the highlands of the Rocky Mountains and the
southern interior of British Columbia. Deposition was prior to growth
of the Cascade arc or subduction-accretion of the Crescent Terrane
(broadly, the Olympic Peninsula rocks). Orogeny of the Cascade Range
effectively shut off the sediment supply. Docking of the Crescent
Terrane deformed the Chuckanut sedimentary rocks. Most people know that
Chuckanut rocks are found in west-central Whatcom County. However,
scattered units of these rocks also extend along the Darrington-Devil’s
Mountain fault zone through Skagit and Snohomish Counties. (Northwest
Geology)

Puget Sound's lowest tide of the year is Friday
Grab your galoshes – it’s tide pool time. The lowest tide of the year
will occur Friday at Puget Sound beaches. In the Seattle and Tacoma
areas, Friday’s low tide will be -3.7 feet at 12:42 p.m., according to
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. A combination of
factors causes tides to be lower than normal right now: a perigean tide
is occurring, we’re close to the summer solstice, and weather patterns
are changing. Allison Sundell reports. (KING)

La Conner bans plastic bags
The town of La Conner has become the first town or city in Skagit County
to ban businesses from providing customers with plastic carryout
bags.The La Conner Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday to ban the use
of plastic bags at businesses in town. The ban is an effort to reduce
the use and disposal of plastic bags in favor of reusable bags.... he
ban will take effect Aug. 1, with businesses able to apply for
extensions up to Jan. 1, La Conner Town Administrator Scott Thomas said.
Extensions will be provided on a case-by-case basis to businesses that
may face hardships during the transition from plastic bags. Kimberly
Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald) See also: McDonald's to ditch plastic straws The fast food giant will swap plastic straws for paper ones in all its UK and Ireland restaurants. (BBC)

Hood Canal changes color again, thanks to plankton bloom
Hood Canal has changed colors again, shifting to shades of bimini green,
as it did in 2016, when satellite photos showed the canal standing out
starkly among all other waters in the Northwest. The color change is
caused by a bloom of a specific type of plankton called a coccolithophore,
which shows up in nutrient-poor waters. The single-celled organism
produces shells made of calcite, which reflect light to produce the
unusual color. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Largemouth bass
Yesterday's feature of the Largemouth bass brought the following
response from Byron Rot, San Juan County Salmon Recovery Coordinator:
"[Y]our description of Largemouth bass leaves way too much out. For
those of us trying to recovery salmonids, it’s a serious invasive
species in riverine systems with accessible lakes. Unfortunately WDFW is
still stocking them in lakes. Old-guard WDFW, that manages warmwater
fisheries, is tone-deaf to ESA. An example of an issue is Ozette Lake in
Clallam County. Ozette is the location of the ESA-listed Ozette
sockeye, and lo has largemouth bass. I assume WDFW is no longer
stocking them, but they are particularly difficult to eradicate once
established. And they are predators of young salmon. Long Lake on
Kitsap Peninsula. Suquamish Tribe is trying to recovery salmonids in
that watershed, Long Lake should be high quality rearing habitat.
Unfortunately WDFW still stocks that lake with bass. We have to limit
stocking to isolated lakes that have no connection to a fish bearing
stream or river." And, from Wendy Scherrer: "Lot of research done, some
here in Whatcom County. Predation of bass on salmon fry in the Squalicum
Creek watershed has been document in a Master's Thesis by Mark Downen,
in the early 2000s. They are in Lake Padden and we've found them in
Padden Creek, by Fairhaven Park. They are in Lake Whatcom, Bug Lake,
Sunset Pond, see WDFW list of lakes below, and there are annual fish
derbies to catch them. They had been introduced to lake by fishers in
buckets. Then they move upstream and downstream. They need to be
managed, how to manage the bass is the question!"

FERC Commissioners Agree: No Grid Emergency Exists to Justify Coal, Nuclear Bailout
Members of the U.S. Senate’s energy committee may be split over the
Trump administration’s plan to force Americans to buy power from
uncompetitive coal and nuclear power plants — even if support is largely
limited to senators representing coal states. But none of the five
members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission agree that the
country’s power grid faces a dire enough emergency to justify a Trump
administration plan to invoke national security to save the plants. On
Tuesday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee met to
discuss FERC priorities. Much of the discussion was centered on an
Energy Department proposal that doesn’t officially exist yet — a plan to
use DOE’s authority under the Defense Production Act of 1950 and the
Federal Power Act to direct system operators “to purchase or arrange the
purchase of electric energy or electric generation capacity from a
designated list of Subject Generation Facilities (SGFs)” deemed
essential to national security. Jeff St. John reports. (GreenTech
Media)

Seattle Climate Rower Unharmed As Team Retires From Great Pacific Race
Less than a week into an event that was expected to last well into July,
Seattle climate rower Eliza Dawson is back on land. All are safe, but
strong Pacific winds ultimately thwarted her four-woman team’s attempt
to travel 2,400 miles across the Pacific, on human-power alone. Dawson
and her team, Ripple Effect, faced steady high winds and waves for five
days. They traveled more than 150 nautical miles and were among the top
two teams when they ran into trouble. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (KNKX)

Major Coal-Fired Power Plant in Washington to Go Solar
It was once Washington state's largest coal pit, a terraced,
open-to-the-sky strip mine, five miles from the city of Centralia and
halfway between Seattle and Portland, Oregon. Today, the coal beds are
quiet and blanketed in green, but an adjacent TransAlta power plant with
three tall stacks still churns out electricity the traditional way,
with coal now supplied from Wyoming.... When the Centralia power plant's
smokestacks quit spewing in 2025, it will mean a loss of 1,340
megawatts of energy. (Of that, it currently supplies about 380 megawatts
to area homes via Puget Sound Energy, or PSE, the largest power
supplier in the state.) To help fill that gap, TransAlta is converting
about 1,000 acres of its former mine site to a solar farm. In homage to
the old pioneer town of Tono that once stood where the mine now craters
the earth, Tono Solar will be the land's next incarnation. Starre Vartan
reports. (EcoWatch)

Ige Signs Law Banning Widely Used Pesticide
Hawaii is banning a pesticide scientists have found could hinder the
development of children’s brains. Gov. David Ige on Wednesday signed
legislation banning chlorpyrifos. Ige and state lawmakers say Hawaii is
the first state to ban the substance. Chlorpyrifos is among the world’s
most widely used pesticides. It’s commonly sprayed on citrus fruits,
apples and other crops. The state may issue exemptions for three years
to allow agriculture businesses time to adjust. The law takes effect in
January. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt last year reversed an effort by
President Barack Obama’s administration to bar its use on fruits and
vegetables. The Obama administration acted after peer-reviewed academic
studies found even tiny levels of exposure could hinder child brain
development. (Associated Press)

As The Scandals Mount, Conservatives Turn On Scott Pruitt
Amid an unceasing series of revelations about alleged ethical
misconduct, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt
is rapidly losing support with influential Republican lawmakers and
conservatives who, until now, have strongly backed Pruitt and the
pro-fossil fuel deregulatory agenda he’s implemented. In recent days,
new reports have emerged showing that Pruitt repeatedly used his
position to seek employment and business opportunities for his wife, and
had agency staffers doing personal errands on his behalf — both
allegations that could run afoul of federal ethics laws. At least a
dozen investigations are underway into various aspects of Pruitt’s
conduct. Brett Neely and Peter Overby report. (NPR)

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you
can unsubscribe at any time.

About Me

Salish Sea Communications provides communications and public relations services that raise visibility and engage audiences. Drawing on over 30 years experience in private, public and not-for-profit work, Mike Sato brings to you his skills and insights in developing and carrying out your print, electronic and social media projects and products. "I've been in the communications business since 1977 starting with community weekly newspapers then working for Seattle City Light, the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority, Hawaiian Electric Company and, for 20 years, People For Puget Sound." Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told. WA State UBI #601395482